Category Archives: Announcement

Presentation of SAMS Post Charter & Flags

White Flag Scottish American Military Logo
Bagpiper Victoria helping to display one of our flags.

Friday — November 26, 2022 — members of Pig War Post #1859, accompanied by Riders from  VFW Post #7392 in Oak Harbor, gathered at a local restaurant for a formal ceremony.  Representing our National organization, Region 15 Commander Donaldson presented the Charter and Flags establishing us as a Post of The Scottish American Military Society.  I was honored to received these on the behalf of our members.

SAMS Field Flag
Region 15 Commander Donaldson and PWP member Victoria displaying the SAMS Field Flag

Sadly, The Scottish American Military Society lost our National Commander H.J. Farquharson during the previous week.  In his stead, I returned home to the following email from our National Commander elect:


To all the members of Post 1859:

I’m sorry I cannot attend in person. Short notice and Holiday travelers.

On behalf of SAM’S National I would like to express our sincere congratulations to All of you on making this momentous leap in the SAMS’ organization. I know it was due to the hard work and dedication of All of You. Remember we can only succeed as an organization because of the efforts of each individual.

In the coming months SAMS National will be changing, hopefully for the better. Your Commander will be involved with these changes. Let him know of any ideas or concerns (but don’t overwhelm him) we don’t want him to quit. I add my own Personal Congratulations to your Post and wish you much success.

I’d like to throw down the gauntlet to Post 1859. Post 1775 has grown over the years to 118 members. Try to match that over the next 6 years.
“Lang may yer lum reek”.
(Good luck)

Slaintè,

K.A. Lloyd
Commander Post 1775 and
National Commander 2023 elect.


Restaurant Pub Irish Ireland
Region 15 Commander Donaldson reading the Post Charter next to Post Commander Don

This was a historic evening; SAMS Posts, let alone veterans’ Posts in general, do not start very often — and they only start once!  Members of Pig War Post have taken steps to ‘build a bridge’ with VFW Post #7392, and I remain grateful to have the support of these members of our extended veteran family on this occasion.  It will always be an honor to have accepted the SAMS Charter and Flags on the behalf of our Pig War Post #1859 knowing that this is just the beginning of a bright future!

Don
Pig War Post #1859 Commander & Pipe Major

Scottish American Military Society Post #1859

Pig War Website … LAUNCHED!

WOW — what a year it’s been!

The Founding Members of Pig War held their first meeting 03/14/2021 — yeah, that’s right, Pi Day! (mmm, pie…)  Starting with two, then three, then ten local SAMS members, we’d been planning this and it was finally time.  Our meeting lasted a little over an hour, and we decided to go for it.  We did the work, sent our Petition into the Scottish–American Military Society — requesting recognition as a SAMS Camp — and in July 2021 we were made official!

Since then we’ve continued to do the leg-work to launch our unique unit with a pipe & drum corps at its center — and I tell you, it’s been no small effort!  As 2022 rolled around, and events started happening again — as the Commander of this group, I can tell you — it was as though we had to do the same amount of work all over again.

One week from today we will be operating our first outreach tent at the Skagit Valley Highland Games in Mt. Vernon, WA.  We will be supported by the members of SAMS Post #1889, which is also loaning us their equipment — tent, tables, everything!  We joined them last weekend at the Tacoma Highland Games in Graham, WA.  They had a new approach to arranging and operating their tent — the same we’ve planned to do at Skagit — and it worked great.  Our SAMS had more fun along with the vets and their family members who visited our tent — they seemed to enjoy it better, even staying longer to learn more about SAMS.

Which brings us to today …

I have wanted to see that our website got launched before the Skagit Games.  Of all the jobs I’ve taken on, and hats I’ve worn within Pig War, to get us to this point …. I did this one, too!  12+ hours of work during the last 2 days, I think it’s ready … and, if I do say so myself … there will be more work on it to come, but it’s lookin’ pretty good!

See you at Skagit on the 9th,
Don
Pig War Commander & Pipe Major

PS — Last Sunday our Petition to SAMS was submitted for Post status!